NEW EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH IN VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OFFERS GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR (1) INCREASED NUMBERS AND KINDS OF NEEDED RESEARCH PROJECTS, (2) DISSEMINATION OF USEFUL OCCUPATIONAL FINDINGS WITHIN THE VARIOUS DISCIPLINES OF EDUCATION, (3) DETERMINATION OF SIGNIFICANT STUDENT FOLLOWUP DATA, AND (4) IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS INFLUENCING OCCUPATIONAL DECISIONS, MOTIVATIONS, GUIDANCE, AND JOB PLACEMENT. LARGE CITIES PRESENT VERY PRESSING AND DIFFICULT PROBLEMS WHICH RESEARCH MIGHT HELP SOLVE -- (1) HOW TO PRESERVE, RESTORE, OR IMPROVE ECONOMIC STABILITY, AND (2) HOW TO COORDINATE THE EDUCATIONAL-SOCIAL-CULTURAL FORCES TO CREATE A PROCESS FOR ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR COMPLEXES OF COMMUNITIES. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION CONTINUES TO OFFER INNER-CITY POPULATIONS INCLUDING DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO QUALIFY FOR OCCUPATIONS WHICH WILL COMPRISE THE LARGEST CATEGORIES OF FUTURE EMPLOYMENT. ALTHOUGH THERE IS GROWING INTEREST IN RESEARCH PROJECTS AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS FOR CONVERTING THE DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUAL INTO THE ADVANTAGED, RESEARCH IS STILL NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE PRESTIGE OR STATUS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, AND TO HELP VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IMPLEMENT NEW CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES, ESPECIALLY ON HIGH SCHOOL AND POST-HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS, IN URBAN CENTERS. FURTHER STUDY AND RESEARCH ARE NEEDED IN THE AREAS OF SECONDARY YOUTH, SPECIAL NEEDS OF YOUTH, YOUTH PREPARING TO ENTER THE LABOR MARKET, TRAINING OR RETRAINING OF YOUTH AND ADULTS, AND SERVICES REQUIRED TO ASSURE QUALITY INSTRUCTION SUCH AS PREPARATION OF TEACHERS, MATERIALS, RESEARCH STUDIES, AND GUIDANCE. (WB)